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PhD Candidate in Multi-Robot Informative Planning for Coastal Monitoring
Norway | Nov. 9, 2026
Company: EURES
Country: Norway
Type: Remote
Employment: Contract
Description: This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 8,6000 employees and 44,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. The Department of ICT and Natural Sciences (IIR) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Ålesund is opening a PhD position in distributed informative planning for teams of autonomous and remotely operated marine vehicles, with applications in coastal environmental monitoring. Coastal waters and fjords change continuously. Pollutants spread, floating litter drifts with wind and currents, and water quality and biological activity vary across both space and time. A single vehicle can only observe a small part of such an environment at once. Teams of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), supported by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), can cover larger areas, observe processes from several viewpoints at the same time, and respond to what they detect. To use such teams effectively, the vehicles must build a shared and predictive picture of the environment and decide together where each of them should go next. They must do this under the real constraints of the marine environment, including limited communication, changing weather and heterogeneous vehicles. The position is part of NTNU Ålesund’s work on ocean intelligence: collecting data about the ocean to support use cases such as monitoring of fish spawning grounds, mapping of microplastics and suspended contamination and water quality monitoring. The position builds on ongoing research at the department on autonomous surface vehicles, informative path planning, online mapping of spatial fields and tracking of drifting targets, which has been validated in field trials. The PhD project will extend these methods from single vehicles to cooperating teams of heterogeneous vehicles. The research will combine theory, simulation and field experiments. Field work will be carried out in coastal waters near Ålesund with the department's fleet of USVs and UAVs. The successful candidate will contribute to one or more of the following areas: Within the scope of the project, the PhD research can be adapted to the candidate's interests and background, with emphasis on planning and control, estimation and mapping, or learning-based methods. Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities. As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits. Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality. In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. The employment period is 3 years, with the possibility of up to 12 months additional employment related to career-enhancing activities. For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Engineering Cybernetics within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment. As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them. For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed. The research activity may lead to using sensitive information or insights into critical infrastructure that is subject to specific security restrictions. Restrictions could also include obtaining a formal security clearance according to the Norwegian Security Act. Non-Norwegian citizens can be granted clearance. However, candidates from non-EEA or non-NATO countries cannot expect to obtain a security clearance. The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request. The application must include: If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation. When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission). A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted. If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Erlend Magnus Lervik Coates (erlend.coates@ntnu.no). If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Silje Storbråten Kjersem (silje.s.kjersem@ntnu.no). Application deadline: 30.11.2026 For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. Ålesund, known for its unique Art Nouveau architecture and spectacular nature, is a gem on Norway's west coast. The city offers a vibrant cultural life, modern facilities, and a dynamic business environment. With its strategic location by the sea, Ålesund provides a perfect balance between urban living and natural experiences. Here, you will find excellent schools, top-notch healthcare services, and a wide range of recreational activities. Ålesund is an ideal place for both career and family life, with a safe and inclusive community. Om arbeidsgiveren: NTNU - knowledge for a better world The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life. Department of ICT and Natural Sciences Our campus in Ålesund works in a partnership with industry that is in a class of its own among Norwegian universities. This ensures a practical focus for our study programmes, while they are firmly anchored in modern theory. The Department offers programmes in automation engineering, computer engineering, and mechatronics and automation engineering. Our research areas include autonomous systems, robotics, cybernetics, artificial intelligence, energy informatics and medical technology. The Department of ICT and Natural Sciences is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering .
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